Thread

1. cadamsdotcom · 1790726862 · focus · HN ↗

   I think actually we're forgetting how economically valuable light is and how much lighting at night improves human lives.

   While also - paradoxically - forgetting that there are plenty of dark places just outside your city if you're willing to drive to them.

   Perhaps it's in service of baiting you to click.

   1. DangitBobby · 1790726967 · focus · HN ↗

      Who is forgetting that? Complaining that I can't see the fucking stars doesn't mean I don't understand that having lights let's me see in the dark.

      1. chaostheory · 1790729942 · focus · HN ↗

         You’re forgetting about how crime thrives in darkness. Better street lighting has helped reduced crime over the years. Better lighting has also reduced nighttime traffic accidents.

         1. kulahan · 1790734233 · focus · HN ↗

            Wishing you could see the stars does not mean you’ve forgotten anything. I can wish a day was warmer and cooler. Two opposing things can be wished for, because they’re wishes.

            1. chaostheory · 1790749176 · focus · HN ↗

               It implies you have forgotten when you don't have counterarguments for the safety and crime deterence that lighting has brought society, a net positive, while you are complaining about not having enough darkness.

               It's like wishing that tall high density housing didn't block your formerly great view, all while ignoring the fact that there's not enough affordable housing in your area.

               Wishes without thought show naivety at best or selfishness at worst. I probably won't agree with kelnos, but at least kelnos thought about the problem surrounding his desire.

               1. kulahan · 1790793048 · focus · HN ↗

                  No, you see, I CAN wish for tall, high-density housing AND to be able to see the sky. It’s a wish! That’s the whole deal!

                  1. chaostheory · 1790822456 · focus · HN ↗

                     You can wish for things. I'm just saying that comments like that aren't very thoughtful and don't really add much to the discussion.

                     1. kulahan · 1790826680 · focus · HN ↗

                        Maybe. It's still nice to know that people have considerations beyond safety and efficiency, though. Maybe we still build our high-rises, but maybe we reflect as much light down as possible, and put more rooftop viewing areas up.
         2. kelnos · 1790745194 · focus · HN ↗

            I can also wish for a higher-trust society where we don't need to blast light everywhere at night in order to reduce crime. It's possible, but the political will to remove/reduce the things that drive people to property crime just isn't there in many places in the US.

            1. ffaccount2 · 1790752788 · focus · HN ↗

               Is this related to high trust society? From what I see, most of the light comes from a streetlights (at least in my country).
      2. aikinai · 1790739029 · focus · HN ↗

         A lot of people are forgetting that. You see many anti-capitalist types claiming the world was paradise before we created technology and civilization. They have zero perspective and can't appreciate everything the modern world does for us.

         That's actually what I thought this article would be about when I first read the title!

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